April 22, 2025

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, Va. —  Teams competing in the Lunkers Trail of the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops will visit Buggs Island, a new venue to the College Series, at one of the best times of the year according to St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN angler Jack Dice.

“It is an amazing tournament lake,” Dice said. “It doesn’t have the giants other places have, but there is the opportunity for anglers to fish their strengths and the opportunity for anglers to figure out something in practice and run with it. It is a very dynamic time of year. The bass will be doing a little bit of everything.”

Tournament days are scheduled for April 30 and May 1 with daily takeoffs and weigh-ins set to take place at Occoneechee State Park in Clarksville, Va. The top 10% of the field will clinch a spot in the 2025 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, and all teams will earn points toward the Team of the Year race.

The Strike King Bassmaster High School Series and Bassmaster Junior Series will compete on Buggs Island on May 4.

Straddling the border of North Carolina and Virginia, Buggs Island is the second of four reservoirs in the Roanoke River system and is the largest lake in the state of Virginia. B.A.S.S. returned to Buggs Island in 2023 for the first time in many years at an Open in early May that was won by Powell Kemp.

That Open could potentially resemble what the college anglers will face during this event, and it all has to do with water level. In 2023, a massive storm system came through the area just before the event, dumping enough rain to raise the lake levels well above full pool. As a result, plenty of wood cover became accessible to the bass, and anglers found themselves catching quality bass around the bank.

There may not be a major flood this year, but even just a little rise in the water levels will bring the bush bite into play, Dice said.

“Buggs Island is famous for bush flipping when the water gets right,” Dice explained. “You’re going to have plenty of fish still wanting to spawn, and the postspawn bass will be guarding fry in those bushes too. And that is all dependent on the water level.”

Dice anticipates much of the lake will be in play for this tournament, from where the Dan and Roanoke rivers converge on the northeast side down to the dam and Nutbush Creek. Nutbush Creek, Dice said, acts as almost a different lake than the rest of Buggs Island.

Largemouth will be the species in play for this event, and those bass will be in the middle of their spawning cycle. Some will be prespawn, some will be spawning and some will be postspawn, Dice said. The beginning of May is also the time of year the shad spawn starts to ramp up.

“If I was an angler going into it, the biggest thing would be watching the temperature trends,” Dice said. “When we had the Open, there was a shad spawn happening and I took advantage of that.”

There is also a solid offshore bite on Buggs Island, and teams should be able to use their graphs to find stumps and fish points.

A Yamamoto Senko would be a top choice for Dice if he were fishing the tournament. Flipping baits like a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog and a beaver-style bait will also be key for anglers focusing on the bushes. Spinnerbaits will also factor if the shad start spawning.

Mecklenburg County, Virginia, is hosting the tournament.

 

2025 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2025 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2025 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2025 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Triton Boats, VMC, Yokohama

2025 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

 

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

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Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 256-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com